Wiee coupling and method of



p w. M. ANDERSON 2,256,637

WIRE COUPLING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed Nov. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l fli'z'llz'am M Andenfo J B $11949??? wim W32 if? p l941- w. M. ANDERSON 2,256,637

WIRE COUPLING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed Nov. 14, 1 938 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j M11 00 Bfilliam A7. 14170 67290]? Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE COUPLING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME William M. Anderson, Minneapolis, Minn., as-

signor to himself and F. J. Kerner, Minneapolis, Minn., a copartnership 1 Application November 14, 1938, Serial No. 240,319 Y 11 Claims. (Cl. 29155.55)

My invention provides an extremely simple and highly efiicient coupling lug'especially adapted for mechanically connecting the electric wires of toasters, telephone systems, radios, and the like, to bus bars or other contacting elements. The invention also involves an improved process of producing the said coupling, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The improved coupling is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several 'views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the blank or metal plate from which the coupling lug is made;

Fig. 2 shows the blank with holes punched therein;

Fig, 3 shows the blank or coupling lug forming plate about one-half completed but applied to the end of an electric wire, looking at the same from the bottom;

Fig. 3a is a view of the coupling lug shown in Fig. 3 with the wire removed and looking at the coupling from the top;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 but showing the coupling lug completely applied to the wire, looking at the same from the bottom;

Fig. 4a is a view of the portions shown in Fig. 4 looking at the same from the top;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line B--6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the punching or swaging device and illustrating one step in the process of producing the coupling lug;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. '7 but showing the coupling lug completely pressed on to the lead wire; and

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig.4 but showing the position of the punches.

Before commenting on the novel features and the important functions performed thereby, the improved coupling lug and the process of producing the same will be described.

In Fig. 1 the blank from which the complete coupling lug is made is a flat piece of metal preferably brass. This blank I0 is then punched out or bored to form two longitudinally spaced holes II and at one end a larger hole I2, all as shown in Fig. 2. The lead wire 13, which will'usually be copper, and hence softer than the brass e18- ment In, is shown as provided with the customary insulating cover [4 from which one end projects for connection to the coupling.

The intermediate portion of the lug blank Ill lying between the longitudinally spaced holes is now pressed upwardly to form a downwardly opening channel o'r'trough l5 that opens at its ends through the now distorted holes I I above the tops of the relatively flat end portions of the lug. The bare end of the wire is then inserted through the holes II and through the channel, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

As the next step, the sides of the channeled portion 15 are rolled on to the wire to form a split tubular portion which, in Figs. 4, 4a'and 6, is indicated at l6, by means of a punch press or upsetting device. The tubular portion I6 is further compressed and forced more or less into the soft wire which will be somewhat indented especially at the slit edges of the tube. A tube thus compressed but left with a slight gap, under ordinary co-nstruction,- would spring apart after it has been thus pressed on to the wire. However. as an important step in the formation of the wire receiving tube there are formed inwardly bent trussing flanges I! which are put under such tension that they tend to press inward on the edges of the tube.

Referring now to Figs. '7 and 8, the numeral l 9 indicates a saddle block provided with laterally heavy guide flanges 2'0 through which work upsetting or swaging plungers 2|. The saddle I9 is adapted to'receive the tube-forming portion of coupling when it is in the condition shown in Figs. 3 and 5 with the wire l3 placed therein. By

suitable power means not shown, the plungers 2| will be forced inward, thereby tightly pressing the tube-forming portion of the coupling on to the wire, as shown in Fig. '8; the structure thus produced then being-that shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. In Fig. 9 the plungers 2|, indicated by dotted lines, are shown as located between the ends of the tube, thereby pressing the sides of the plate together and on to the wire.

By reference to the drawings, it will be noted that the bottom of the coupling lug, especially the flanged ends thereof, lie substantially in a horizontal planeoron a fiat surface; while the tubular portion is bulged upwardly, leaving a slit in the tube 'atthe bottom of the coupling and, hence, not exposed to the view when the coupling is applied in the ordinary manner. The central tubular portion of the coupling is made very narrow, but still i -made very strong by virtue of its tubular formation. 7

"It will be further noted that the tubular portion the tops of the end flanges. 1

couplings used in electrical'toas'ters.

Inthe drawings the wire I3 is shown as solid wire,'but very frequently that so-called wire will be made up of a multiplicity of small copper wires twisted together in the form of a cable.- A cable thus formedwill be very compressible so that the tube l6, when contracted, will be quite wellsunken intothe cable.

In the above'describedcoupling, all of the con nections'aremech'anically made without theuse 1 of solder, brazing, welding or the like, and there is no part that will be injured or loosened by the heat produced by an electric current by a, wire,"

attached thereto or from external heat such, for

example, as will be produced in many of the J The above facts together with the facts that the device may be cheaply formed and is stron and durable, make the device'highly desirable for many uses.

What I claim is: -1;'The' method of producing an electric wire coupling lug from an elongated substantially fiat metal blank whichronisists in first forming longitudinally spaced substantially round holes in the flat" blank, andiiin next pressing upwardly the metal: lying-{between gthe, longitudinally spaced =h01es2= to form a "downwardly opening channel theends of whichopen through said holes above'the relatively fiat end portions of the lug beyond the said holes.

' The methodofproducing'ian electric wire couplinglug fromlan elongated relativelyv flat metal'blank andxanchoring a wirethereto which consists in ifirst forming longitudinally spaced substantially :round holes; in the, hat blank, in nextpressinggupwardlythe metal lying between thesaidilongitudinallya spaced holes to form a downwardly opening-channel the ends of' which open through ,said holes'abovethe relatively-fiat endportions 'of: the lug beyondthe holes, in next insertingtheend of a wire longitudinallythrough the open; ended channel; andin subsequently rolling the side {portionsofthe channel over-the interposed 'wire andcontracting thesame about the wire to form a substantiallyiclo'sedsplit tube tightlyembracing the wire. 11

" 3. The method of producing anelectric wire coupling: lug. :from an; elongated relatively fiat metal blank and anchoringa wire-thereto which consists in; first'forming longitudinally, spaced holes in the flat blank,in next pressing upwardly the metal lyingfbetween the saidlongitudinal-- of the flat end portions of the lug by curved edge portions of the lug.

5. The method of producing an electric wire I coupling lug from an elongatedsubstantially flat metal blank, which consists in firstforming longitudinally spaced holes in the fiat blank and in subsequently pressing outwardly a longitudinalvly extended intermediate portion of the blank and drawing together the laterally spaced edges of the lug opposite said pressed out portion, to form a lug consisting of relatively flat end portions connected, by a relatively narrow channel 'the'ends of which are longitudinally'open outward of common faces of the said opposite flat end portions'fand the edges of which, channel, are continuouswiththe edges of the flat end portions'of the lug and are connected thereto by curved edge portions. w 7 6. The method defined in claimA which further'includes the steps of inserting the end of a wire-longitudinallythrough the open ended channel, and in thereafter; rollingithe side portions of the channel overthe' interposed wire and con tracting the same about'the wire ,to form a substantially, closed-split: tube tightly. embracinglthe wire and the edges of which,;split tube, are continuous with and connected to the edges of the flat end'portions of the lug; by curved edge portions.'-"

. 7. I'he ,method;defined.in claim.5 which in- V eludes the further steps of: inserting the, end .of a wire longitudinally-through the open ended channel; and in-thereafter rolling the"side, portionsof the channel over theinterposed wire: and

contractingthe sameabout the wireflto form a1 substantially closed split tube tightly embracing the ,wire and; theedges of which', split tube; are continuous withand connectedto the edges of the fiat end portionsjof the lug by curvededge portions.

8. A wire coupling-lug comprising a relatively fiat and relatively wide anchoring end portion and an integrally formed wire receiving channel extending'longitudinally therefrom and opening ly spaced-holes ,toform a downwardly opening channel the'ends of; 'w'hich,f, channel, open through said holes above: the relatively flat; end portions of the lug beyond the. holes,.in next inserting the end of a wire longitudinally through V.

the open ended channel,- and in substantially rolling the side'portionsof thechannel over the interposed wirej'and contracting the. same about the wire to form a substantiallyclosed split tube tightly embracing thewire- 7 4. The method of 'producingan electric wire coupling lugifromian'elon'gated substantially fiat metal -blankywhichconsists in first forming longitudinally spacedholes in the flat blank, and in subsequently'pressing outwardly the laterally-in termediate longitudinally extendedportion of the metal between said holes and drawing; together the Opposite-edge portions of the lu between-said holes; to ;form,a relatively narrow channel the 7 ends of which open longitudinally through said pre-formed holes" andthegtopsjof the sides of which, channel, are formed by the intermediate I edges of the blank andareconnected ,tothe edg s longitudinally through the lug material adjacent said relatively flat end portion andoutwardly of a face thereof, saidchannel. being relatively much narrower than thefiatendv portion of the lug and having thestops of its opposite'sides formed by edges that are continuous with and connected to the edges; of the widerflatendportion of the lug by longitudinally curved edge portions.

9,. A wire coupling lug comprising spaced relatively fiat and.relatively wideend-portions, and an integrally formed longitudinally extended relatively narrow wire'receiving channel connecting said spaced end portionssthe ends of said channel opening through the lug material outwardly of common faces of the fiat end portions of the lug and the edges of the said channel being con-,

and connected tothe edges of the flat end port ons oftthe, u byl on i ud na c v d, ed e portions;

- 1 1. ,The method of; pr du ng an l'ctri f'lwire coupling lug from an elongated substantiallyiiat metal blank, which consists in forming a hole in the fiat blank, and in subsequently pressing outwardly a longitudinally extended portion of the metal adjacent said hole and drawing together the opposite laterally spaced edge portions of the lug opposite said pressed out portion to form a relatively narrow channel an end of which opens longitudinally through said pre-formed hole and the top of the sides of which, channel, are formed by edges of the blank and are connected to the edges of the fiat end portion of the lug by curved 5 edge portions of the lug.

WTLLIAM M. ANDERSON 

